Wheeled toy



Feb. 19,1946. w, LUCAS 2,395,230

WHEELED TOY 'Filed llay 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 19, 1946.

E. w. LUCAS 2,395,230

WHEELED TOY Filed May 29, 1944 {Sheets-Sheet 2 FOKCE Patented Feb. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEELED TOY Earnie William Lucas, Dixon, N. 0.

Application May-29, 1944, Serial No. 537,926

3 Claims.

This invention relates to wheeled toys of the type adapted to be propelled by a rider and more particularly to a childs vehicle in which a rock ing motion is imparted thereto by eccentrically mounted wheels.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sturdy vehicle in which the body portion is composed of rigid side sheets connected by means of a seat midway thereof and in which the sheets constitute corresponding display areas for designs, such as a horse, with the seat being so arranged with respect to the design as to simulatea saddle.

The invention contemplates a construction of the type above referred to in which the body is given a rocking or galloping motion by means of eccentric mountings of the front wheels. A further object of the present invention is the provision of an eccentrically mounted treadle secured between the front wheels of a toy vehicle for engagement by the feet of a rider, the wheels being likewise eccentrically mounted to cause a propulsion of the vehicle by the weight of the rider when the treadle' has reached an ineffective position.

In its preferred form the present invention contemplates the employment of a pair of propulsion wheels for a toy vehicle on which the vehicle body is eccentrically mounted and in which .a treadle is arranged between the wheels in such eccentric relationship with respect to the wheel mounting that when the wheel mountings and the treadle are in the same vertical plane they will be to the side of "the vertical diameter of the wheels adjacent the seat. Hence when the vehicle is propelled in a forwardly direction and the treadle reaches its most remote position from the seat, the wheel mountings will have passed beyond the vertical diameter of the wheels in a direction away from the seat, and the weight of the rider and of the vehicle body will form a couple with the force exerted upwardly from the contact of the wheels with the surface being traversed and effect rotation of the driving wheels.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a childs vehicle formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken on line4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the propulsion wheels of the vehicle illustrating the eccentric arrangement of the wheel mountings and the treadle connecting the propulsion wheels, the wheels being in the position in which the mountings and treadle are in the same vertical plane;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6 in which the propulsion wheels are illustrated as having been rotated to cause the wheel mountings to be in advance 'of the vertical diameter of the wheels when the treadle has reached the-end of its path of travel in the forward direction whereby the couple thus effected will continue to propel the vehicle in the forward direction; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 in which the treadle is illustrated in a position for the beginning of a stroke by the operator in a downward direction to eifect a backing of the vehicle.

In referring to the drawings more specifically, the side members H] which are preferably formed of plywood are held in spaced relation by means of seat supports 4 I secured to the respective Walls 10' by screws or the like and a bridging seat 12. Seat i2 also is preferably formed of plywood. Adjacent the forward ends of the side walls a bar i3 is provided, which bar is secured in openings in the side walls. At the lower rear end of each of the side walls ill a fixed axle M is arranged with its ends secured in openings IS in the walls. The axle l 4 and the bar l3 are preferably secured in the respective wall openings by means of glue and serrated fasteners I6. Wheels l! are mounted on reduced portions of axle 44, whereby flanges 18 are utilized to cause the wheels to be maintained adjacent the side walls while permitting free rotation of the same upon the axle. Side walls ID are preferably given a configuration generally similar to an object which is painted or stencilled thereon and the side walls are provided at a point in advance of the seat l2 with hand openings I ,9 to permit the rider to grasp the upper edges thereof for exerting the force necessary for the propulsion of the vehicle.

Front wheels 20 have concentric mountings ,2! by which they are individually secured to the respective side walls It in substantially identical positions on the side walls. Mountings 2| are formed by the bolt 22, washer 23, spacer 24, washer 25 and a nut 26 securely threaded upon the bolt. A treadle 21' is eccentrically secured to the front wheels, which treadle is formed with a fixed shaft 28 anchored in openings 29 of the respective wheels by means of glue and serrated fasteners 30. In order that the vehicle be rigid and operate efficiently it is important that shaft 28 be rigidly secured in place with respect to the wheels 20. A hollow member 3! rectangular in cross-section is secured upon shaft 28 between the wheels and is adapted to be engaged by the feet of the rider. Wheels l1 and 20 are preferably cut from laminated wood sheets but other material sufficiently strong and of proper weight may be employed.

In Figures 6-8, inclusive, a propulsion mechanism formed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention is set forth in a series of positions to illustrate the advantages to be derived from the relative eccentric arrangements of the treadle 21 and the wheel mountings 2L As shown in Figure 6 the vertical diameter of wheel 20 indicated at 32 is parallel to but spaced forwardly of vertical line 33 which intercepts mounting 2| and treadle 21. When it is desired to propel the vehicle forwardly and the treadle and wheel mountings are shown as illustrated in Figure 6 the knees of the rider are such that the force exerted will be in the direction of line 34. The application of force along line 34 will partially lift the Weight of the rider from seat l2 and due to the force applied through the handles provided by openings IS the weight of the operator will be carried largely by the treadle 21 and through the medium of shaft 28 by the wheels 20 and by the rear wheels I1. The arrangement as thus described will give a longer downward stroke since the treadle is positioned rearwardly of the vertical diameter and the movement arm will be such as to provide the desired leverage in view of the fact that the wheel mountings 2| are also eccentrically arranged. When the wheels reach the position illustrated in Figure 7 the legs of the rider will normally be fully extended and the wheel mountings will have then advanced to a position forwardly of the vertical diameter of the wheels whereby the couple will be that, illustrated by dotted lines 35 in Figure 7. When the vehicle has reached the position shown in Figure '7 the downward force exerted by the weight of the body and the weight of the rider will continue to propel the vehicle in a forwardly direction. About the time that the wheel mountings reach their lowermost position the treadle again assumes the position shown in Figure 6.

When it is desired to reverse the direction of travel of the vehicle the rider may readily apply a braking action to the vehicle by forcing his feet outwardly and holding his legs extended. This prevents rotation of wheels 20. The vehicle may then be permitted to advance slightly to bring the treadle in the position shown in Figure 8 and the application of force upon the treadle is then applied by the rider in the direction of line 36 which, due to the fact that a line through wheel mountings 2| and treadle 21 is spaced from a parallel diameter through the wheels as shown in Figure 6, will cause the treadle to be sufliciently to the rear to permit the downward pressure by the rider to readily overcome the force exerted by wheel mountings 2| when positioned as shown in Figure 8. Additionally, the application of force by the rider when the wheels are in the position illustrated in Figure 8 will cause a lifting of the riders weight and the weight of the body of the vehicle due to the pressure upon the treadle and the force imparted to the vehicle body by the riders hands grasping hand openings 19. In propelling the vehicle in reverse the rider sits forwardly 0n the seat and the force exerted by the rider will be in the direction illustrated in Figure 8.

What I claim is:

1. A wheeled toy for propulsion by a rider comprising a body having vertical sheet sides connected by a rigid seat adjacent the center thereof and by a brace rod adjacent their forward ends,

a fixed axle at the rear of the side walls upon which wheels are mounted for free movement in spaced relationship, a forward propulsion wheel unit including a pair of spaced wheels each eccentrically mounted upon the respective inner sides of the body, and a treadle formed with a fixed shaft extending between and securely anchored to the respective wheels at corresponding portions thereof with a freely rotatable footengaging member upon the shaft.

2. A wheeled toy for propulsion by a rider comprising a body having vertical sheet sides connected by a rigid seat adjacent the center thereof and by a brace rod adjacent their forward ends, a fixed axle at the rear of the side walls having reduced portions upon which wheels are mounted and held for free movement in spaced relationship, a forward propulsion wheel unit including a pair of spaced wheels each being eccentrically mounted upon respective inner sides of the body, and a treadle formed with a fixed shaft eccentrically extending between andsecured to each of the wheels at corresponding portions thereof and a foot-engaging member freely rotatable thereon, said wheel mountings and treadle being positioned with respect to the wheels so that when the wheels are rotated to cause the wheel mountings and treadle to be in the same vertical plane with the treadle uppermost a line intersecting each will be spaced rearwardly of the vertical diameter of the wheels.

3. A wheeled toy for propulsion by a rider comprising a body having vertical laminated wood sheet sides reinforced by seat supports, a rigid seat secured to the supports, a rear axle secured to the side walls upon which a wheel is mounted, a forward propulsion wheel unit comprising a pair of spaced wheels each being independently mounted eccentrically upon respective inner sides of the body and a treadle extending between and fixed to the respective wheels and constituting the sole direct connection therebetween, said treadle being eccentrically secured to each of the wheels at corresponding portions thereof and the wheel mountings and treadle being so positioned eccentrically that when they lie in a vertical plane with the treadle uppermost a line intersecting each will be spaced rearwardly of the vertical diameter of the wheels,

EARNIE WILLIAM LUCAS. 

